7:03 PM
by zelda3469
Summary: "Only dinner my ass," Mai grumbled. "Naru, it's your birthday! It's kinda that day once a year where your closest friends and family come together to tell you how much they love you."


"I'd say I'm officially the better looking twin. Forty-six and still retaining my youthful looks," Gene smirked. He approached his aged brother and extended a hand. Noll didn't bother taking it. Instead, he stepped back. A smile pulled at the seam of his lips as he crossed his arms.

"You can honestly convince yourself that your beauty is superior simply because you lack a few gray hairs?"

Gene wagged his finger, chuckling, "You have wrinkles too! Must have been from all that pouting you do. They say you get more wrinkles when you don't smile as much."

Amused, Noll met his brother's gaze, "So, you're implying that youthfulness equates to beauty?"

"Doesn't it? Don't you recall being sixteen, Noll? Most women, of all ages, couldn't keep their eyes off you."

"I still find that to be the case. If you've been following me like the annoying specter you are, you would have noticed that half the young women enrolled in my classes are simply there to ogle over me."

Humming, Gene held his hand to his chin, "I suppose you have a point. But if I were in attendance, they would be far more interested in me."

"Women in their early twenties are looking for men with more...experience. You're rather naïve when it comes to more adult matters," Noll teased with a flat tone.

Gene threw his hands to the side and cried out, "Not true! I had sex with five girls before I died! You've only had sex with one! That makes me an expert compared to you!"

"I never had sex with a girl," Noll corrected. "I had sex with a woman, on several occasions. That's the difference."

As Gene shook his head he grumbled, "But Mai is the most naïve woman on the face of planet Earth! That doesn't count as experience! You didn't even sleep with her until you two were already married! And it was after the honeymoon, if I might add!"

Noll shrugged, "That doesn't matter. The point is I engaged in intimate activities a greater number of times than you, therefore, I am obviously more experienced."

"But if I hadn't died at such a young age I would have had way more experience than you! So, given your criteria for attractiveness, I would so be more attractive than you!"

"You're forgetting one factor," tilting his head, Noll flashed another smirk, "you were the rough draft."

"Huh? Rough draft? What's that about, Naru?"

The middle-aged man blinked. He had been talking to Gene, moments before, in a place that he hadn't quite recognized. It was...like he had been dreaming, but then Mai was there, offering him a sceptical look along with a fresh cup of tea.

"Naru, are you alright? I heard you mumbling to yourself before I came in. You...were staring at nothing, and just...talking in gibberish."

Holding a hand to his head, Noll sighed, "I must be tired."

Had he...really imagined Gene? It was unlike Noll to daydream…

Setting the teacup on her husband's desk, Mai frowned, "Are you sure nothing else is wrong? You aren't running a fever, are you?" She placed her hand on his forehead and dropped her shoulders when she determined that his body temperature appeared normal.

"I'm fine," Noll took Mai's hand in his own as he gave a reassuring smile, the left slope of his lips slightly higher than the right. "The others are still planning to arrive by seven for dinner, correct?"

Mai was still a little unsure of Noll's condition, but she hadn't noticed anything else strange… Still...she had a feeling something wasn't right.

"Oh," she nodded, "yeah. Everyone should be here by seven. The kids even took off from university this afternoon so they could be here tonight."

"I told them their studies were more important than this," Noll sighed. "It's only dinner."

"Only dinner my ass," Mai grumbled. "Naru, it's your birthday! It's kinda that day once a year where your closest friends and family come together to tell you how much they love you."

"They could always call if reminding me of that fact is important to them."

Mai groaned, "Maybe they wanted to come see their father in person to tell him how much he means to them." She rested her free hand on his head before leaning in to kiss his cheek. "Don't lecture them for skipping a class to come see you, okay?"

"Fine," Noll huffed as he released Mai's hand.

Satisfied to be getting her way, Mai touched another kiss to the side of Noll's face. She took a step back as she said, "Thank you. Now, don't work too hard, okay? You have to be somewhat social for a little while tonight. All the others flew in from Japan for this."

He nodded, "I know. I'll take it easy."

Clapping her hands together, Mai beamed, "Alright. See you downstairs soon."

Teacup in hand, Noll bowed his head, "Yes."

The door to his personal office shut as Mai departed, leaving Noll alone to sip on his tea. While setting the cup back into the saucer he glanced down at the papers he had yet to grade for his freshman class. There were only four left.

Reaching for his pen, Noll began to read. He held his chin in his hand as he stared at the text riddled page. Oddly enough, he hadn't been able to find the will to focus and retain the information in the paper.

Maybe he was tired…. Afterall, Mai had caught him in some sort of vivid daydream, and he was beginning to get a rather bothersome headache…

"Right…" Noll muttered. "I'm being forced to mingle this evening." Leaning to the side, Noll pulled open his drawer. Given how often he stained his eyes since he had dropped the habit of wearing his reading glasses, Noll kept a bottle of painkillers close.

Before returning to the assignments he needed to finish grading, Noll took two pills. The tip of his pen was hovering above the margin of the page when he thought he felt someone tapping on his shoulder.

"That looks boring. Reading the same type of essays over and over."

"It's my job, Gene."

"Boo. I like your summer job more. It's more interesting. Plus, solving puzzles is more your style.

How do you deal with adolescents of lesser intellect on a daily basis?"

"I'm dealing with you now, am I not?"

Gene gasped, "I'll have you know that I am forty-six years old, and just as intelligent as you!"

Turning his head to the right, Noll clicked his tongue, "Since when did you start selling yourself as an intellectual? Last I recall you were too busy with the Nintendo to pick up a book."

Huffing, Gene looked away, "I'll have you know those games were just as stimulating as any book."

"They were meant for children."

"Of course you would think that. The idiot scientist still doesn't know how to have fun. If I were alive today I totally would have my hands on one of those Nintendo Switch things. It seems like it's awesome, and the games look amazing. That new Zelda looks way better than the one that was on the original Nintendo."

"So you're watching my progeny play video games in their spare time?" Noll raised both eyebrows.

"I've been watching you and your family for a long time, Noll. You know that. I'm like the guardian angel of the Davis family, only, I don't have wings."

That earned a muffled laugh from Noll, "That is correct." As he watched a transparent image of his brother cross to the other side of the room Noll frowned. "Did you ever learn why you were unable to pass on?"

"Huh?" Gene glanced back and nodded, "Yeah. Pretty recently, actually."

"Does that mean you will be moving on soon? You're fortunate that your spirit has remained intact."

Gene didn't bother addressing Noll's comment on his luck, "Yeah. I guess...you could say I'll be leaving really soon. It's kinda sad, actually…"

"Do you not wish to leave?" Noll asked, slightly concerned.

"No, that's not quite it…"

"Then, what is it?"

"What's what?" The door to Noll's office was open for a second time that evening. In the doorway stood a woman in her mid-seventies. She wore a worried expression. "Noll, with whom were you speaking?"

His eyes darted back to the right side of the room, near the bookshelf. Gene...wasn't there…

Of course he wasn't… Noll couldn't see apparitions. Not without a mirror….

So...he had been daydreaming again.

"No one, Luella. I with thinking to myself, that's all."

Holding the door frame, Luella shook her head, "That's very unusual of you to think out loud like that. Are you feeling ill?"

"Mai has already asked me that. I'm fine, just a little tired. That's all."

"If you're sure..." Luella was hesitant to leave her son, but she knew Mai needed some help in finishing the last of the dinner preparations. "Call for one of us if you need anything, alright, Noll?"

"Of course…" Noll slurred. He reached up and pressed his fingers to his lips. He hadn't ever...slurred before...but it had been a rather taxing day.

"Noll?"

"It's nothing. I'll join you two when I finish with this last paper," he promised his mother.

"Okay," Luella moved back into the hall, her eyes fixated on her son. She stared at him for a good three or four seconds before leaving him be. She left the door open, if he decided needed something.

Rubbing the sore spot on his left arm, Noll sighed. He was perfectly fine… Just...tired… But he needed to snap out of it before his guests arrived. Noll was positive Mai would be upset if he came across as rude to their friends. And...his own children were coming. He didn't care to disappoint them simply because he needed a little rest.

Glancing at the clock hanging by the door, Noll sighed. He had about ten minutes until seven. He was sure Madoka and Lin had arrived, and he expected that the others would arrive directly at seven or a little after. They were usually late… His children would likely come rushing in at seven-thirty, given the fact they were driving in, and had left in the early afternoon.

Noll got back to work. It was his only real option if he didn't care to be in the middle of Mai, Madoka, and Luella trying to put finishing touches on the dinner table…

Ten minutes passed and Noll found that he hadn't been the least bit proactive. He set his pen down and stood up, determining that it was time to join his wife downstairs. If his prediction was correct, the doorbell should have rung at any moment. He wobbled as he stepped to the side. Slamming hands down on his desk, Noll shook his head.

"Get it together…" Noll whispered to himself. He straightened his back as he aimed his view towards the door. His eyes widened when he saw a solid apparition of his brother. The smile on his face was gentle as he held out a hand.

For a moment, Noll had a strong desire to take the outstretched hand his brother had offered him. Something about it… It felt like the most natural course of action for him to take.

"This is the third time I've found myself speaking with you today. It's difficult for me to believe that I've been imagining it."

Gene's expression didn't change, "You haven't been. This is real, Noll."

"How can it be? I am no spiritualist. I can't see you without a mirror, Gene."

"There are...moments in life where the living can become more spiritually sensitive, even if only briefly," Gene explained.

"I see…" Noll eyed the half empty teacup to his right. "Is it related to one's physical condition, or the significance of a day, perhaps?"

"Both." Gene's voice wavered. "But, since I know you're going to ask, no, this has nothing to do with the fact that today is out birthday."

"Then what is the significance?" Noll demanded.

Arm still extended, Gene flashed a more serious look. Before he spoke again, the ringing of a bell sounded in the house. Noll ignored it, more concerned with what his twin had to say.

"Take my hand, Noll."

"Answer my question."

The two stared at each other, too stubborn to fulfil each other's request.

"Naru! Come on downstairs! We have guests!" They heard Mai calling. Neither Noll nor Gene moved. Gene, however, did speak.

"Take my hand, before she comes to fetch you."

"I don't understand."

"Just trust me."

Light footsteps sounded from the hall. Mai was running up the stairs, for Noll. The time between each click of her heels grew longer from Noll's perspective. The ticking of his clock became louder, downing out the sound of his wife's footfalls. His eyes snapped to the hands on the clock and he watched as they slowed to a stop.

7:03 PM.

The time...it was important to him, but he was unable to explain why. It had never held any importance to him in the past, therefore Noll found it difficult to believe that it should have meant anything to him then... Unless…

"Come on, Naru! Yasu and Monk are dying to see you! It's almost been six months since we saw them and-"

Noll's vision blurred as he began to process Mai's shouting again. Only one word had really gotten his attention as he shifted his gaze back to Gene.

As Mai reached the top of the staircase Gene exhaled, "Take it...please, Noll, for her sake…"

Unconsciously, Noll reached out for Gene's open palm. He paused in his motions for just a second, hesitating. Making direct eye-contact with his deceased sibling, Noll grabbed onto his hand. He felt his body shift forward while he made a surprising observation. Gene's skin was warm beneath his fingertips, but that contradicted his studies. Spirits were supposed to be cold to the touch.

Peeking at his own hand to try to make sense of the situation, Noll saw his teacup from the corner of his eye. His own hand had swiped it to the side, off the desk, but…

No, it didn't make sense. He was holding Gene. His hands had been nowhere close to the cooled beverage, yet Noll was certain he had seen himself swipe it with the side of his wrist.

He never heard it crash against the surface of the wooden floor, nor did he witness it smashing into pieces.

While that teacup fell through the air it vanished, along with the rest of his study. Looking up, past Gene, Noll caught sight of his wife, staring at the space just to the right of his feet. Her dark-colored eyes were shining with unfallen tears and her lips were moving. Noll couldn't hear her, but he was able to read the shape of her mouth with ease.

Naru…

That's what she had said.

She rushed towards him While she dropped to her knees, to Noll's right, she began to fade away, leaving him and his brother alone in a vast darkness that stretched on for eternity in all directions. White wisps, all glowing with a soft light, appeared. As they floated past the twins, identical once again for the first time in thirty years, Noll dropped his head.

He was unable to find himself angry as he started to understand… He only felt remorse for the pain his wife of twenty-three years would suffer.

"Now what…?"

"Now we go."

"Where?"

Gene grinned somberly, "To whatever's next."


End file.
